Question Number: 31490

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 4/26/2017

RE: Varsity High School

Aaron Speca of Virginia Beach, VA United States asks...

Scoreless match between two very good teams and these two plays had fans of both teams screaming HANDBALL! However, I think the CR made the right no-call decision in at least the first one. I included a slow-motion for each one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWvTBWWYRbQ

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Aaron
The first one is certainly not deliberate handling as the ball comes up from a kick at short range by the opponent and hits the players arm. Even if White tried to avoid the ball she could not do so.
On the second one I am not so sure. Blue mis judges the ball yet seems to make a movement with the arm after contact with the ball. It looks like that she realises that the ball is going past and she reacts with her arm. Now I am not sure if that reaction was to show that she was trying to miss the ball as I notice some players belatedly moving their arms after the handling to try to show that an effort to avoid was made. It has the opposite effect.
Now on field I would gave no great issue with no call in both situation. Had the referee called the second one I would also say that ITOOTR on the day.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Aaron,
no issues but where was the referee? 2nd one higher level of play likely called due to the timing and the fact she rushed into the ball with arms wide unlike the 1st girl with no time and ball was kicked into her. I can see the ball skews a bit in the 2nd one so it was likely she did not intend to play it with arm. I agree on another day another referee might make the call against her. Note in each case the attacker pointed it out to the referee lol
Cheers